Mistakes
by sarkbait
Summary: Draco regrets a past mistake as Hermione has a secret she must reveal. Maybe at their fifth year reunion, things can straighten out
1. I was carrying his child

"You've been hiding yourself behind those books again."

Hermione looked up to see the red-head before her. The years have done well for youngest Weasley. She had become one gorgeous witch who had a wit that matched her beauty. It wasn't a bit surprise that she had ended up marrying one of the most eligible bachelors of their time, former Slytherin, Blaise Zabini.

"But I'm so close to breaking it, I know it."

After the war had ended in the middle of her seventh year, her dreams of becoming an Auror shattered. Her motivation for being an Auror was gone. Voldermort had become nothing more than an empty shell with no soul left in him and all his supporters disappeared. The downfall of Voldermort gave Hermione a new perspective in life.

Nowadays, she could be found going through the past trying to break the numerous amount of prophecies and perplex codes made by wizards and witches of the past. Right now, it would seem as though Randulmi was giving her a bit of trouble.

"When was the last time you've seen the sun?"

Hermione quickly flipped through the pages of her book as she made a few side notes on a bit of parchment. "Ginny, look, if you came all the way here to bother me, I don't have the time for it today. I'm so close to breaking this, it's not even funny."

Ginny sighed as she quickly took the book away from Hermione, having her almost fall over and off the chair from trying to read the words as it moved away from her.

"What was that for?!"

"Why do you torture yourself like this? Why do you keep working if it isn't necessary?"

After her first case, she had earned herself more money than she knew what to do with. And after donating more than half of it, she had enough to live her life comfortably. So it made no sense why she went through the everyday stress aspect of her job. Most people only broke one prophecy and left it at that. She was the current record holder for breaking sixteen.

"It's fun Ginny."

The red head crossed her arms and stared back, as if daring for Hermione to come up with a better excuse.

"Fine, it makes me feel productive."

"And this would have nothing to do with the fact that your love life is at a zero."

Hermione swiftly took the book back as she reopened it to its previous page. "Of course not, don't be silly."

With her hands on her hips, Ginny inquired further. "When was the last time you were in an relationship?"

Hermione looked back up from her book. "What are you getting at?"

"Do you think it's normal for a successful twenty-three year old witch to have never been in a serious relationship, ever?"

"It's not like I never date."

"That's not the point Hermione? Was every guy you dated not good enough or something?"

"They just didn't settle with me. It's not like I am that picky."

"Viktor?"

"Through his thick accent, I couldn't understand half of what he was saying."

"Ron?"

"You know how weird it was kissing him?"

"Ok, too much information. Harry?"

"Ditto."

"Blaise?"

"He's your husband!"

"But before that, you did date him for a bit. What was wrong with him?"

"Except the fact that he was more interested in a red-head?"

"Fine. Neville?"

"I was afraid for my life after the first date. I thought he might accidentally turn me into a toad."

"Severus?"

"After a few dates, it occurred to be how weird it was to be dating your old potions teacher."

"Draco?"

"It just wasn't the right time."

Ginny's face lit up a bit. "That's a first."

Hermione went back to her book, not paying attention to Ginny any longer.

Having a temper like her brother, Ginny ripped the book away from Hermione's hands and threw it aside.

"Hey! I was almost done with that!"

"It's rude to neglect your guests and bury yourself in your work."

"You weren't invited, you barged in."

Ginny waved her hand. "Details, details. So tell me, what ended it?"

Still slightly upset from not being able to work, Hermione crossed her arms and pouted. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Ginny rolled her eyes as she rephrased herself. "With Draco. If I'm correct, you dated him for an entire month. That's longer than any other guy you EVER dated."

"And?"

"Why did you break up with him?"

"When you broke up with Harry after three months, I didn't question you. Why are you so interested that I dated Draco for a month?"

"Hermione, my relationships usually last about that long. With you though, your relationships last about a week. So what made Draco so special that you kept him around four times longer than anyone else?"

She never thought it would be brought up. She always looked at that aspect of her life as 'unimportant', and most of the time, a taboo subject. "Relationships just don't work out sometimes."

She never though she would have to bring him back up. But it would seem she would because Ginny wasn't buying any of it. "Fine, if I tell you, will you promise to leave me alone today?"

"I make no promises."

"Ginny, my work..."

"Hermione, your LIFE!"

"I don't need one."

Ginny grabbed Hermione on both sides and shook her. "Woman, just tell me."

Exasperated from all this talk, she massaged the bridge of her nose as she gestured for Ginny to take a seat. "This may take awhile."

Ginny sat. "I have all day."

"When I first started to date him, I thought it was too good to be true. This amazingly rich, handsome, successful, brilliant wizard was dating me. Do you remember the tabloids? The headlines that daily wrote about how I, the wretched muggle-born witch had possibly stolen the number one bachelor of that time?"

"Reporters are so annoying. I remember how rude they were when I had started dating Blaise."

"After the first week, even I started to fool myself into thinking it could possibly last. I mean everything was going perfectly."

"I sense a 'but then' coming on."

"But then nothing. It was just at that time, neither of us was very keen to the idea of a serious relationship. He was leaving for America the next week and I was going to South Africa to help Charlie with decoding the journal of some old, but brilliant, dragon keeper."

"You aren't muggles for God sakes! That's what magic is for."

"It would have complicated our jobs and neither of us really believed we had anything going. So we mutually broke it off."

"So you mean to tell me that there is a slight chance you can still get back together with him?"

Hermione looked away towards the window, which overlooked her garden. "He's the past. Let's leave it at that."

Ginny refused to let go of the subject until Hermione finally broke and told her. "Why would it be so wrong for you two to get back together?"

"Because I was carrying his child..."

And the silence overtook the room.


	2. And there is a great chance I might love...

flashback

"So you're leaving tomorrow huh?"

Hermione and Draco were lying in bed, with their fingers entwined. She had at one time thought she was never born with a heart, the reason behind why she never fell in love. But she had discovered she had been created with one, but the right person to open it up never came along. Until, she thought, now.

The downfall of Voldermort also brought with it the downfall of inter-house rivalry. And after graduating, she had found her way to the arms of this Slytherin. His company had asked her to break a coded journal that was thought to have a blocking spell for one of the Unforgivable curses. And after she had revealed that there had been an incantation that could stop a person from being controlled by the Imperius curse, Draco had asked her to the celebration party. And that was the beginning of it all.

"Have you put any thought into us as of lately?" Draco had asked her the week before what she thought the relationship was becoming like. To a normal person, this may have seemed like a casual acquaintance, but to the both of them that had never been in a serious relationship, this was their serious relationship.

"I don't know. I mean we can owl each other, and Apparate when we want to visit one another. I mean, I..." She was on the verge of saying the dreaded three words that every relationship-phobic was afraid of. But he cut her off.

"Do you really think this can last? Outside of this, we live in two different worlds, with our own lives and careers."

She thought she knew where this was going and decided if this was going to end, it would on her terms. "Maybe then we should make this simple. Maybe we need to move on with our lives."

There was no bitterness in her voice, just understanding. What she didn't know was that he wasn't going to ask her to break it off. He was going to ask her to marry him.

And brokenhearted, both of them would find themselves in a lonely world the next morning.

End flashback

He remembered when his godfather came to him asking if it would be all right to date his ex. He then remembered the week after when Severus came back heartbroken, saying she had just broken it off, wit no forewarning.

Draco remembered two years back, when he was only twenty-one but had seriously contemplated the idea of waking up every single morning with her for the rest of his life. Never in his life did someone take his breath away quite like her. She was a one-of-a-kind, to say at the least. But that day, when she had assumed he would break it off, he was simply miserable. She had assumed the worst and run away. She did exactly what he would have done.

He could have stopped her, but didn't. He was only twenty-one, was he really ready for marriage? It was only the next morning when he woke up without her that he realized he really had been ready for marriage, to have that chance to wake up beside her everyday. It was that morning he had discovered what a mistake he had made.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. And Mrs. Zabini are here."

Due to his playboy persona, many thought all of Draco's secretary's were ex-porn-stars. Of course, only those who got as far as his personal secretary knew she was instead a middle-aged woman who had been his most loyal executive for the last two years. It could have been because at that time, he was dating the most extraordinary woman in the world who didn't know that she was. "Secretary's don't have to look like porn stars you know. They can look like normal human beings."

He chuckled slightly at this thought, although not sure what brought it up. He then remembered his secretary was still there waiting for a command of some sort. "Thank you Ethel. Send them in."

Enter one of the most beautiful couples in the wizarding world. Who would have known the youngest Weasley would turn out so gorgeous?

"Malfoy, we need to talk."

Draco looked up at Blaise, who shut his eyes, looking as though he wanted to disappear. He then looked at Ginny who had both hand on her hips, looking as though she had been waiting all day to give out this lashing. "Before you yell and break a few things, may I simply point out that I haven't done anything to you in the last two years."

"What makes you think I'm angry?"

"Well, seeing how you busted in here with that 'pissed off' expression on your face, I would suspect something."

Ginny crossed her arms ad rolled her eyes. "Did you get the invitation for your year five year reunion?"

"I might have. Look in the wastebasket for me, won't you dear?"

Annoyed, Ginny grabbed the wastebasket and threw it at Draco. Quidditch had done him some good, as he swiftly and gracefully moved away before it hit him. "Temper little Weasley, temper."

Blaise cleared his throat. "Zabini. It's Zabini now in case you've forgotten. And she wouldn't have thrown that if you didn't provoke her."

Draco got up and picked up a paperweight, shifting it from one hand to the other, looking rather bored. "What is the reason for this intrusion?"

Since Ginny was still a bit steamed, Blaise decided it would have been better if he spoke. "We're here to make sure you go to the reunion."

"And why, pray tell, would I go back to that sordid little past of mine?"

"It's only sordid because you made it so. You have to admit, you were a bastard back then." Ginny pointed out.

"Even if that were true, I really don't have much of a wish to go back to the past."

"What if this is the chance for you to reconnect with Hermione?"

Draco flinched a little, nearly dropping his paperweight. "Why would I want to do that?"

Ginny was at this point livid. "You worthless little git! I can't believe I'm even trying to help you. Why in God's name am I trying to help you?!"

Draco was taken back by her outburst. She must certainly know that it wasn't he who broke off their relationship and they had only dated for a month. There was no need for such an outburst, or at least, so he thought.

"Dear, he doesn't know." Blaise reminded Ginny. She then got visibly calmer and her eyes softened.

"Oh yeah..."

Draco was at this point extremely confused. "What in God's name is going on?"

Ginny turned to Draco and bowed down her head. "I'm sorry. I forgot."

At this point, he was ticked off. "If you don't tell me what is going on, I think I'll blast you both to next century. Now if you don't tell..."

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you." Ginny quickly interjected. "It surely isn't in my place. If she saw fit to tell you, then she would have, but since she didn't, I shouldn't be the one to tell me."

Draco wasn't one to be out of the loop and pounded this fist onto the desk. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get in touch with that woman? Now tell me!"

"Well if it counts," Blaise interrupted, "you are too."

"Blaise, you may be my friend, but I swear upon my mother's grave that I will..."

Ginny finally remembered that she had something in her pocket. "Oh yeah, I met with her yesterday afternoon."

Draco pissed expression softened a bit at the mention of her again. "How is she?"

Ginny took out a letter in her bag and handed it to him. "She wanted me to give this to you."

And with that they left. Grabbing his letter opener, he tore it open.

Dear Draco,

I know it must be strange to hear from me. First, I wanted to say I am well and I hope you are too. Although I can't say you will stay well after this letter is over...

The day I reached Africa, I had been given several books to look through to see if I could possibly decode any old discovers made by the old dragon keepers of the 16th century. What happened was that one of the books was cursed to throw back the person opening it as far away from it as possible. I think I flew back a good hundred meters before I landed on my stomach and lost consciousness.

It wasn't until I woke up that the doctor told me I would be fine, but my 'little friend' didn't make it. I suppose if I hadn't been so stubborn as to not go to the doctor and ask about my horrible morning nausea sessions I would have known I was pregnant. But I didn't and it was too late.

I tried to reach you but by then, it was impossible to even catch a glimpse of you. Security was so tight that I couldn't break in even if I tried. A few months and eleven magazine covers of you later, it seemed better for me just to keep it to myself. By this time, you were at the height of your success and I didn't want to bother you with something like this. It wasn't like I had the child or anything, so I figured it wouldn't affect you. So I kept it to myself, as well as my two closest friends, as you would expect.

I know you should have been the first to know and I'm terribly sorry, but it just seemed like the smart thing to do. Then this invitation came and I found out that we were to have a five-year reunion. I don't really expect you to come to such a small get-together as this; I know how you hate to make small insignificant appearances that don't much benefit you. But I am hoping you will. Since I can't much reach you, I thought this would be a nice opportunity for us to get together so I can answer a few questions. That is, if you have any.

The thing about it is, and I know Ginny will be thrilled to hear; you were my only true relationship I had, ever. And I don't know if that was the right time to break it off since nothing was going wrong then.

If you don't come, I hope you know that the time I spent with you, I will cherish forever. And there is a great chance I might love you.

Yours truly,

Hermione Granger

He was speechless. He was simply rendered speechless. Only she had been able to do that to him, and that could still be said now. Not only did they produce a child together that was ripped away from the world soon after, but she truly did love him.

It was times like these that he wished he wasn't such a scared little ferret back then.


	3. She will be coming home with me

"Apocalypse? Hell froze over? You aren't working?"

Hermione looked up to see Harry. She had been digging through her closet, looking for something decent to wear for the reunion. So far, she had no luck. She wasn't sure why she cared. After all, it wasn't like he would show up. Not that she was going for him of course...

"Taking a breather." She swept a bit of hair away from her face as Harry came to help her up. She dusted off the bits of clothes that had gotten on her and gestured her guest to the sofas in the living room. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, I'm fine. Actually, I came to ask how you are."

"I'm fine. Why?" She got up to fix herself a bit of tea.

"I hear Draco is looking for you."

She suddenly dropped the teacup and pot in her hand, leaving it to crash on her wooden floor. "Oh dear." She swiftly cleaned it with her wand and took a seat next to Harry. "Oh dear."

"Would it have anything to do with that miscarriage?"

During the time of the miscarriage, she was completely instable and needed support. She turned to her two oldest friends for support, so Ron and Harry were there every step of the way. "I wrote him a letter telling him everything."

"And you are hiding from him because?"

She looked down at her hands, as if they were the most fascinating things in the world.

"Hermione!"

"I don't think I'm quite ready to face him..."

Harry lifted her chin with his hand, wiping her tears away. "You're afraid he might not love you huh?"

She wiped her fast falling tears as well, grabbing for a few tissues. "It makes no sense. What made him to damn special that I care?"

"Could it be that you love him, unlike the rest of the people you dated."

"I love you and Ron."

"You know what I mean."

She threw her hands into the air. "This is simply ridiculous, I'm holding onto a relationship that ended two years ago!"

"You were and are in love with him."

She looked away and got back up. "I suppose I am. But how can I go back to him? Both of us are relationship-phobic."

"Were. You both WERE afraid of commitment. But it has been two years. I mean you changed your mind, what makes you think he didn't?"

"Because this is thick-headed, stubborn Draco."

Harry chuckled.

"This isn't a laughing matter!"

"You do know you share those trait with him right?" Harry pointed out.

"I suppose... I just don't know... I don't care!" She let out in frustration.

"And I suppose that you normally tear your closet inside out for people you don't care about right?"

"Yes." She grumbled under her breath. She took a seat next to him and put her head on her hands. "I should just give up. What's the point?"

"You do it because you care about him, and you care what he might think about you, and if you still finds you desirable, beautiful."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Have you been taking psychology classes again?"

Harry put up his arms in defense. "I pick up the chicks there."

Hermione swatted him. "That's not funny. Girls are not little birds that lay eggs."

"Fine, I met Gabby there."

Hermione lifted her eyebrows in interest. "Oh, this wouldn't be Fleur's little sister, the one you claimed you had fallen in love with since she turned legal."

"Hey, it works. And she's nice. Wait, how do you know..."

"I ran into her last week. Funny that I hear this news from her instead of my BEST FRIEND?"

"To my defense, you have like a billion private security details."

"All in which you can pass because you are on the list. Whatever, why are you here?"

Harry suddenly jumped up, surprising Hermione as he grabbed her arm. "I have a surprise for you." He then proceeded to pull out a box.

"What is..." Hermione held up a beautiful vintage green dress made by Valentino. "I can't believe you got me this..."

"You like it?"

"It's breathtaking! How did you..."

"Remember that night we were watching E!, the special about Jennifer Garner? And then you saw the dress she wore to that one award show, jumped up and screamed, "MY GOD THAT DRESS IS GORGEOUS!!! Well, I did some research and found the exact dress in green since I knew that it was your favorite color." He handed her the dress.

She pulled her for the hug, crushing the dress in the process. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, you have no idea what this means to me!!!"

Harry grabbed her before she fell. "So I guess you're ready for tomorrow."

"Appearance-wise, yes. Emotionally, not quite sure." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "You made my day."

"Nervous?"

Draco looked up at his best friend, and grumbled. "Nervous isn't in my vocabulary."

Blaise unfolded his arms as he walked towards Draco. "That would be why you changed dress robes forty-seven times in the last hour right?"

"I always do this before a big event."

"One in which you wouldn't have gone to if I hadn't show up with the letter?" Perked up a feminine voice belonging to Ginny. "Thank God I have a sense of fashion." She leaned over and picked up a black and green dress robe with silver trimmings. "Slytherin-like with the features that bring out your eyes."

"Err, thanks?" Draco said, taking the dress robe from her, looking at it from the mirror. She was right.

"Why would wizarding worlds more eligible bachelor be worried about some small little Hogwarts reunion I wonder? Oh, I can see the headlines now." Blaise teased, as Ginny hit him.

"Don't you see, he's worried, just like Harry said he would be."

Draco swiftly turned around. "What about Potter?"

Ginny rolled her eyes as she circled her arms around Blaise's left arm. "He visited Hermione yesterday and she was doing pretty much the same thing you are. All freaked out. He bought her the dress she's going to wear tonight."

Draco went silent. "There wouldn't be a chance that she is..."

"Harry and Hermione?" Ginny laughed. "I think after a week they called it quits and stayed best friends. Although it is a different story with Fleur's sister."

"Gabriella?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

Draco sighed. "Because I dated her about three months ago. I think it lasted four days before we found out we had no connection. I still talk to her though. Must have slipped her mind to mention she's dating Potter."

"Well anyway, we better be going. Did you want to make that wonderful little entrance with the white horse carriages or not?" Blaise said, putting their little conversation to a halt.

Draco looked up at the clock. "Yes, the carriages will be waiting outside Hogwarts. All we have to do is Portkey into the carriage." He pulled a beautiful velvet box.

Ginny gasped. "Draco, that wouldn't be..."

"Let's go." Draco then forced Blaise and Ginny to touch it, as they sooner found themselves in the carriage.

As the carriage moved, Ginny kept prodding in. "Don't tell you plan on..."

"I don't know what I plan to do. But whatever results by the end of the night, she will be coming home with me."  
  
Ginny went silent and Blaise gasped. "You got her to shut up. My God man." He shook his hand. "God bless you..."

She hit him over the head. "Do you know how unbelievably romantic this all is?"

The carriage pulled over as they got out. Oh what a night it would be.


	4. She never asked you to be that way

"Are you ready for this?" Ron asked

Hermione looked up from her fidgeting hands, smoothing out her dress for what seemed the hundredth time. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Ron steadied her hands and tried to calm her down a bit. "You'll be fine. The speech..."

She looked at him as if he was crazy. "You think I'm this worried about that stupid speech? God Ron, have you gone daft?"

His face turned red from embarrassment, for not knowing right away why she was so worried. "He'll be here."

"Is it weird that I'm afraid of him being here, but I need him to be?"

Ron smiled. "You have about thirty minutes before you're up. Can you pull it together before then?"

"Yes, but can you leave? I need some time alone."

He gave her a quick hug and went back to his seat next to his girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson. He was anxious for her, and looked all around the auditorium. The bastard didn't come yet. He was sure he would come with his sister and her husband, but he had yet to show his face. While Dumbledore was giving a small speech about how wonderful things were now, he excused himself and went to speak with Ginny.

"Hey Ginny, Blaise."

Blaise looked up and looked towards the exit. "Excuse me, I have to knock some sense into someone."

Ginny kissed her husband as her brother took the empty seat next to her.

"Well?"

"I hope Blaise does."

---------

Draco was walking back to the carriage. He couldn't do it. He couldn't face her.

"You're being a complete moron."

"Not now Zabini."

Blaise ran after him, grabbing him by the arm. "If you do this, you lose her forever. And you'll waste the rest of your life moaning and groaning about how you lost her to me. You can't do that to yourself."

"I saw her."

"What?"

Draco pointed out to a window. "She was looking out of the window. I saw her. I can't go back to her like this, I'll try later."

"What happened to the Malfoy that takes everything head-on, never apologizes for anything." Blaise asked angrily.

"I can't be that way with her. That aspect of my personality completely disappears when it concerns her. I can't be cruel; I act like one of those lovesick dogs that do anything for their masters. It sickens me. I refuse to be that way, and it scares me that she can make me turn into what I hate in a man."

"She never asked you to be that way. She never asked you to change for her, she just asked for you to come." Blaise pointed out, trying to pull his friend back to the castle.

"She asked me to love her."

"No she didn't."

"Fine, I love her. Is that what you want to here. I love her so much that I'm willing to become what I detest most in men."

"She never asked you to be that way." Came a voice from behind them, belonging to Harry himself. "She'll be crushed if she doesn't see you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've never seen her so nervous, even during the war when she knew she would be taking lives did she look this nervous. Right now, she's a train-wreck."

Blaise started to pull Draco even closer to the castle. "Now stop being and idiot and come on."

"I'm not going in. She's lived this long without me, and she can go on longer without me." Draco said, knowing that he was losing the argument slowly.

"But you haven't been living. You act like you've moved on, but then you never threw anything that you have that belongs to her. Don't deny it Draco, I saw the box. You act like your okay about never seeing her again, but you're not. You just want to tell yourself you're over her so you can get over her, but you know you don't want to." Blaise said in nearly one breathe, gasping for air.

Applause was heard and Harry looked at Blaise. "She loves everything about you, even if you make snide comments about me or Ron. She loves you even when you give everyone the cold shoulder, when you're aggressive, when you are being coldhearted. I hope you understand what your giving up before you give it all away."

Blaise let go of Draco. "You're a complete moron if you let this one go. If you really think you can find love stronger than that somewhere else, then leave. But I thought she was going to go home with you tonight. She won't be if you don't try."

Harry and Blaise both turned to go back in the castle, leaving Draco out in the cold. They were both hoping he would come to his senses before he ruined her life as well as his own.


	5. Go outside

"… And I would like most to thank you all for coming to this reunion. I hope you all have a wonderful time. Thank you."

She walked off the platform with the most realistic fake-smile she could muster up. During her entire speech, she looked through the crowds for his platinum locks. Her heart jumped when the great hall doors opened only to crash down to see that it was only Blaise and Harry.

"Hello Hermione."

She smiled as she looked up. "Hi Severus."

It had been about a year since they dated. And although their relationship failed, their friendship grew. She ran up and hugged him.

"Brilliant speech I might say. Although you did seem a bit distracted."

He had really been heartbroken when she abruptly broke off what would seem like the beginning of a relationship. But he remembered the time he asked Draco if it would be alright to date her, and the look he had on his face. He never quite got over her. He supposed neither of them did.

"You know I'm not used to giving speeches to big audiences. I always feel like I will fumble with my words and say something utterly ridiculous."

"Well, it really is wonderful to see you. You haven't by any chance seen my godson though, have you?"

Her head fell as the reality hit her. He hadn't come.

"Oh, I thought you would have seen him. I've been preparing for this speech all day."

"Well, I must say, you look absolutely spectacular tonight."

"Oh Severus, you were always the charmer."

He extended his hand to her and smiled.

"A dance?"

Hermione laughed as she placed her hand in his. She knew in her head they were only friends. That's the way she wished it to be like. She only hoped he wished the same.

They gracefully waltzed around the room. Snape was an excellent dancer, very graceful on his feet. Hermione was another story, always a bit of a klutz. But during the time she dated Draco, she was expected to go to these big functions, to dance and be graceful. So for the sake of not looking like a complete idiot, she took dancing lessons. After breaking up with Draco, she found dancing a bit relaxing. Plus, it prevented her from tripping over her feet like she used to.

"May I have the next dance?" Someone tapped Severus out, and Blaise took his place. As Severus bowed and kissed her hand goodbye, Blaise took Hermione in his arms and gracefully lead her around the room.

"You look absolutely stunning tonight."

"Oh, but Ginny is even more."

"Ah, I can't say anything there. But I have to say, I'm a little biased. I am married to her."

She laughed a little as she looked around for the little Weasley. "Where is she?"

"She is dancing with Neville I think. He did always have a bit of a crush on her. I suppose it's a good thing I'm rather conceited and know she won't be able to do any better than me."

"Conceited indeed."

They danced along in silence for a moment before he leaned down closer to her and whispered into her ear. "Go outside."

She looked up at him as he stopped the dance walked away. Rather confused, she contemplated on running after him, but he had already tapped Neville out and was dancing with Ginny once again. Feeling the urge to know what exactly was outside, she walked out of the great hall and into the cold.

Once outside, she found that there was nothing but a few carriages and a few couples snogging near the bushes. Feeling an incredible need to get away from the crowd, she walked further down, closer to the lake. She stared up at the bright moon, and the sparkling stars dancing around it. The sky was having a ball also. The cold breeze swept her as she shuddered, looking around for something to keep her a bit warm. It was then when she saw him.

A lone figure sitting out next to the lake, throwing rocks into the water. His green dress-robe being creased by the rough rock, his platinum blonde locks, his silver eyes. He was once the Slytherin prince. And anyone could see why. And for some reason, he was the last person she wanted to see.

Turning around she, quietly crept away and stopped. No, she had to speak to him. She's waited five years for this it had to be now. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted to, but couldn't. And as she stood there, contemplating, she didn't notice that the figure had already left his rock.

---------

"That was some party."

"It was awesome. I can't believe I haven't seen some of these people for so long!"

The ball had ended, and people were starting to leave. Soon, the house-elves would be cleaning up.

"Hermione dear, you have a ride?"

She turned to see the Zabini's. Ginny had thought that if Draco didn't take this chance to talk to Hermione, maybe she could force it. But so far, she had no luck locating the twit.

"Oh, I'm fine. I actually, I came here with Harry and Ron, if I could only find them…"

"They already left." Ginny quipped. "You can share the carriage ride out with us."

"Oh, it's fine, I need a bit of the fresh air."

"Good God Hermione, It's below zero and that cloak can only do so much. Plus, it's a two-mile stretch, so just come with us. There is plenty of room." Blaise said.

Hermione nodded as she followed the couple to a gorgeous white carriage. The door opened and there he was. The no-show. Everything she wanted, everything she thought she needed. Draco.

She nearly fainted at the spot.


	6. Well even the best laid plans

"Ummm…"

Ginny shoved Hermione in, as Hermione lost balance, tumbling forward. Draco was quick to his feet and caught her before she fell onto the lush carpet spread inside.

"Er… Thanks."

Ginny and Blaise took on side of the carriage, leaving Hermione no choice but to sit next to him.

"So that was some ball huh?" Ginny inquired, trying to bring forth a bit of the conversation. Neither of them spoke.

"Hermione, you gave an awesome speech." Blaise added on, hoping to break a bit of ice.

Still, silence.

After what seemed like days, the ride ended and Ginny pulled Hermione out of the carriage, dragging her away.

"This was you're chance! You didn't even look at him!"

Hermione stood silently, quickly glancing at Draco's direction and back at her feet.

"I thought that she would be going home with you."

Draco looked up at his friend with a bit of anger. "Well even the best laid plans."

Sighing, Blaise grabbed a hold of Draco's arm and dragged him to Hermione as Ginny did the same thing. The couple pushed the two together and stood on either side of them, with their arms crossed.

"If by tomorrow you both haven't figured this out, I am Avada-ing you both!" Ginny threatened as she and Blaise disapparated.

"So…"

Draco held the door to the carriage open for her. "It's a bit warmer inside."

Hermione got back onto the carriage but before she could sit, Draco opened a door that was thought to have led outside but really to another room, much bigger. Magic had hidden the immensity of the actually inside for inside the carriage was everything you could imagine in a mansion.

"Drinks?" Draco offered as he walked towards the drink carts.

"No I'm fine…" She wasn't sure she could actually hold any liquor.

They both started to stand there, fidgeting a bit, like two school children that discovered they had a crush on each other.

"You look beautiful." Draco offered.

"You yourself clean up nice." Hermione said with a smile. "But I think we passed the small talk stage."

"I was just saying the first thing I thought when I saw you."

"Oh… Ummm, thank you."

And then, he couldn't take it anymore. The woman he had been pinning over for two years. The only woman that he was able to share everything with, that could keep him on his toes, make him feel, dare he say it, giddy, was standing in front of him. The woman that he knew he was in love with was right in front of his face.

"Hermione, I…"

"I'm sorry." She blurted. She had tears streaking down her face, tried to hold herself up.

He embraced her in his arms, holding her as she cried on his shoulder. "Shhhh…"

She pulled away and looked up at him with her twinkling brown eyes. "I'm sorry he died. If I took better care…"

"Shhh…" He whispered as he held onto her closer. "It's not your fault."

"But…"

He silently swayed with her, just trying to help her calm down. "Shhh…"

"His name was going to be David…"

After a few moments of silence, she pulled away a little and stared deep into his eyes. It was still there. That spark in his eyes, the sparks that made her fall in love with him in the first place. He leaned down as she moved up, meeting each other halfway. And it was perfect. The fireworks, those butterflies, all of it was still there. After two years, she still burned for him the same way she had two years previous.

They pulled apart as he smiled down at her. "I might still love you."

She broke into a huge grin. "I know I still love you."

Two people thought to be incapable of love found each other and found love within each other.

That was when he pulled out the velvet box as she gasped aloud. "I made a promise to Zabini and myself that I wouldn't be leaving without you tonight."

She looked from him to the diamond ring inside back to him. She knew what it meant and what would happen if she touched the box. As the clock struck one, they both vanished in thin air.

-end-


End file.
